Once upon a time
by Lilli101
Summary: Since her father passed away, Akari has been taking over his farm while her stepmother and stepsister just keep spending all the money. Will she be able to keep her father's dream alive? And how will her life change when she meets her "prince"...?
1. Family Affairs

**So here's another one abo****ut AkarixLuke. I recently went through my old fairy-tale books which I loved as a kid and got this inspiration to turn it into a kind of 'Cinderella' story. Maybe not the most novel idea but I'd like to give it a try ^^ I still keep writing my other story as well. Please read & review and let me know what you think! ^^ Thanks and I hope you'll enjoy!**

_**Disclaimer: I neither own 'Harvest Moon' nor **__**'Cinderella' or any of the characters.**_

Chapter 1: Family Affairs

Akari's father Jack acquired an old farm on Waffle Island three years ago. With a lot of hard work it became the biggest and most successful one for miles around in a short time. When he passed away just a few months ago, she inherited the property while her stepmother Elaine took over the finances- spending it all for herself and her daughter Kelly. In all those years they had never lifted a finger to help with the farm, nor did they ever care about it. But for some reason, which Akari still couldn't work out to date, Jack trusted and loved Elaine and for his sake she never complained.  
Akari is now the one to manage the farm all by herself, being left behind without earning any of the money but she would do anything to keep her beloved father's dream alive – and she never fails to find a way.

* * *

'Here you go, Yolanda, your delivery of fresh eggs.'

'Thanks so much, Akari!' The resolute pink-haired lady eyed the young farmer from head to toe. 'You know, you've become so slim and you look awfully tired. Are you alright, dear? I'm afraid you're working way too hard.'

'Please don't worry about me', Akari smiled, 'I am just fine! I love my work and this farm, it was my father's dream…and it's mine, too, after all.'

'But you have to manage it all by yourself while your stepmother just keeps spending all the money. It's like you have to start all over again every day, with nothing. It breaks my heart to know you're in this difficult situation!'

'Well, actually I earn some money for myself at "On the hook". Ozzie offered me a part-time job, I'm helping there four evenings per week. But please, we need to keep this a secret!'

'Y-yes, of course. But I really think you're working way too hard', Yolanda sighed. 'Here, take this and keep it for yourself.'

Ever since she came here, Akari instantly bonded with the Sundae Inn's cook who always cared for her; in the meantime they were almost as close as grandmother and granddaughter.

'Yolanda, I cannot acc-'

'Sssh! This is the price for the eggs, right?'

Akari knew it was useless to discuss with her. 'Well, I…thank you so much!'

'Not at all! Oh, by the way, can you bring some vegetables tomorrow? I need to prepare the food for Chase and Maya's engagement party.'

'Yes, sure! What would you like?'

'Some cabbage would be good as well as bread fruit and strawberries if you have?'

'Yeah, no problem. I'll bring it over tomorrow noon.'

'Great, dear! See you tomorrow then…and please take care.'

Akari winked at her as she went out and headed back to the farm.

'Elaine, I'm home!'

'Hello Akari! Did you deliver the eggs, honey?'

'Yeah, here.' She pulled a bundle of money out of her bag while she secretly kept Yolanda's little tip for herself.

'Is that all? Oh well, we should rather sell more mayonnaise, it brings in more money.'

'Sure', Akari sighed. 'Um, you know, tomorrow night is Chase and Maya's party-'

'Oh, yes of course! What a nice idea that they arrange a masked ball! I heard they will invite some guests from abroad, too, this is so exciting!'

'Yeah…um, could I get some money to buy a new dress? They offer some specials at the tailor shop and-'

'Wait, you wanna go, too?'

'Well, yes. Chase and Maya are my friends and they invited me.'

'But honey, I need you to bring Santana to Mineral Town tomorrow morning. Barley will be awaiting you at his ranch for the handover. I'm afraid you won't be back here in time for the ball, the passage will take all day.'

'_What_ are you saying? You sold my horse?' Akari's eyes were glowing from anger while they started to fill with tears.

'Yes, of course. He's too untamed to be ridden or to use him for breeding, we cannot afford to keep him.'

'That's bullshit', Akari yelled. 'I'm very well able to ride him and if you wouldn't spend so much money-'

'That's enough! I know what I'm doing! Don't you ever dare to talk to me like that again! Or you want me to rather sell Santana to a slaughterhouse?'

'But he was a present from my father', Akari sobbed.

'I know…but Jack would understand.' Elaine cleared her throat. 'You should act like an adult and accept what's best for the farm. Now be a good girl and buy new chicken feed from Brownie Ranch, here's some money. And don't spend it for other things, I will find out.' She raised her index finger.

Akari stormed outside and right into the barn. She looked up at her black stallion and laid her head onto his. 'Oh Santana…I will never understand why my father ever married such a ruthless woman. And now she even takes you away from me.' Her tears dropped onto his nose and he nickered in response. 'I wish I could just run away with you but I could never leave dad's farm in her hands. Please forgive me', she whined. 'Come on, I want to ride out at least one last time'. After she saddled up, she drew in the reins and they rushed off to Praline Forest.

**Thanks for reading!**


	2. Fairy godmother

**Thanks a lot for the first review, really appreciated ^^ So here's Chapter 2 and the "prince" will finally ****appear in the next one ^^ Hope you'll enjoy!**

Chapter 2: Fairy godmother

Akari's tears had dried when she arrived at Brownie Ranch after taking an extended ride with her beloved Santana.

'Hi there, young lady! How can I-', Cain frowned at the view of Akari's face which was obviously covered with tears before, judged by her swollen eyes. 'What's the matter, what happened?'

'Oh, um, nothing. I mean, um…Elaine has sold Santana', Akari whispered.

'Really? Oh no, I'm sorry to hear that! He's a top-notch stallion, he would be perfect for breeding! Too bad he doesn't get along with other horses. Ah well, he's got a wild, free spirit…I always thought he's the perfect horse for you', he smiled.

Akari smiled back at him in response. She liked Cain; he reminded her of her father a bit. 'I have to bring him to Mineral Town tomorrow', she sighed.

'Mineral Town? Oh, then he must have been sold to Barley's Ranch.'

'That's right. Do you know that guy?'

'I do. We sometimes conduct trade with Mineral Town, so I got around visiting him a few times. He is a very kind old man and his ranch is amazing! I've never seen such a nice property. It's probably just a cold comfort for you but you can be sure Santana is going to have a good life there.'

'That's great.' Akari fought hard to hold back the once more upcoming tears. 'Um, actually I came to buy some chicken feed, could you please give me three bags?'

'Of course.' He walked over to the shelves behind the counter. 'Oh! Actually, that reminds me: Gray is going to Mineral Town tomorrow as well. He'll be delivering some sitting hens to the Poultry Farm there. You can accompany him, so you don't need to go alone.'

Akari clenched a fist. 'Cain…may I ask a favour?'

'Yes, sure.'

'Could Gray take away Santana for me tomorrow? I-I don't think I can do this.'

* * *

After she had put the fodder into the silo, Akari decided to go to town and check out the tailor shop. Despite her saddened mood, she decided to not let her good friends down and join the party tomorrow night. She led Santana into the barn and kissed his forehead. 'I'll be back later.'

The second she wanted to head off, she heard a loud bang from inside the house. 'Are you ok?' a girl's voice yelled.

'Kelly', Akari moaned and opened the front door. She saw Gill sitting on the floor in front of the couch while her stepsister was leaning over, trying to pull him up again.

'Oh, Akari. Look what Gill gave me!' She withdrew her hand from the mayor's son and held up her long, black hair. 'Isn't this gorgeous?'

Akari looked at the sparkling necklace which clung to Kelly's overly revealing décolleté. 'And in return you attack him?'

'Of course not, silly! I wanted to kiss him as thanks but our cutie here is way too shy.'

'A-Akari, n-nice to see you.' Gill got up from the floor - this time without his usual grace – and brushed off his knickerbockers. 'I-I just asked your sister to go to the b-ball with me-'

'Stepsister', Akari hissed.

'O-of course. A-anyway, I should go now.' He cleared his throat. 'K-Kelly, I'll pick you up a-at 7 p.m. tomorrow. S-so long, ladies.' He quickly bowed and ran off.

Akari shook her head, her arms akimbo. _I wonder what Gill sees in her. Poor Luna is madly in love with him while he's falling for a money-grubbing bitch. _She turned around and reached for the door knob.

'Wait, take this!' Kelly handed over Elaine's wallet. 'Candace called this morning, my dress is ready. Go to town and pick it up. It's gonna look fabulous with my new necklace!'

'And where's Elaine?' Akari asked.

'She's upstairs taking a nap. She had to do all the laundry while _you_ took all day to get that chicken feed!'

_Yeah, poor Elaine must be extremely exhausted after putting some clothes into the washing machine!_

'Now go, Candace is waiting. What a pity you won't be able to see my smashing outfit for the ball tomorrow', Kelly grinned while Akari wordlessly put the wallet into her belt bag and went out.

* * *

'Hello, dear!' Yolanda welcomed Akari as she walked into the Sundae Inn with a clothes bag on her arm. 'Colleen said you just called earlier today, is there a specific reason why you booked a room here tomorrow?'

The young farmer cleared her throat. 'Well, you know…the room will be my hideout to go to the ball.'

'I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean.' The pink-haired cook raised a brow.

'Elaine wants me to bring Santana to Mineral Town tomorrow but I asked Gray to do it instead. I don't have the heart to give him away myself', she sighed.

_Flashback_

'_No problem, Akari! But remember: meet me at the docks tomorrow at midnight, the ship will be back by then. I will pass the money on to you and you can head home, but better take the way across the beach. You just need to make sure Elaine and Kelly will stay long enough at the ball so that you'll arrive at your house before they do.'_

_'Should be no problem__. Thank you so much, Gray!'_

_End of flashback_

'Elaine mustn't know I won't be going to Mineral Town but to Chase and Maya's party instead. So I will stay here the whole day and just appear "in disguise" when the ball starts.' Akari explained.

'Oh, I see. But it's such a shame that you need to hide from your stepmother. This is ridiculous!' Yolanda let out a soft growl. 'I wish I could expel that woman from this Island!'

Akari chuckled. 'I guess a lot of people do, but no one ever succeeded so far.'

'Anyway dear, we are still here to keep you company, right? Did you find a nice dress at least?' she asked and pointed at the clothes bag.

'No, this is Kelly's, I cannot afford the ones at the tailor shop. But I bought a mask and I still have an old dress at home which I can whipstitch a bit.' Akari forced a smile. 'I'm sorry, I gotta go now but I'll see you tomorrow. And due to my altered plans I'd bring the vegetable delivery in the morning already. Would 9 a.m. be fine for you?'

'Sure, dear.'

'Great! See you.'

* * *

The next morning Akari walked along the path leading from Caramel District to Waffle Town; she held a big basked with fresh harvest in her left, and her horse's reins in her right hand; a messenger bag strapped across her shoulder. She had spent all night in the barn, only leaving Santana's side to take a shower and change clothes before they headed to Sundae Inn. As they arrived at the entrance there, Gray was already waiting. 'Good morning, Akari. Err, Elaine and Kelly didn't leave the house yet, did they?'

'Hello Gray. No, in fact they're still sleeping.'

'I see', he raised a brow. 'Well, um…are you ready?'

'Not really', she sighed and laid her head onto Santana's. 'I will miss you so much! But I know you're gonna be fine. And I promise to visit you as soon as I get a chance', she whispered as tears rolled down her cheeks. 'Good bye.' She handed over the reins to Gray who was obviously moved.

'Please don't cry, Akari! I promise Cain and me will find a way to let you visit Santana soon. I'm sure Barley would be pleased to meet you!'

'Thanks so much, Gray…for everything!'

'Not at all. Um, I have to catch the ship now. So…'

'Alright. Have a save journey!' Akari wiped away the tears from her face and watched Santana and Gray disappear from her view before entering the Inn. She could barely hide her sadness so Yolanda just quickly paid for the harvest delivery and sent the farmer to her room right away.

'Here you go, dear, take a little rest now. I'll be downstairs if you need anything and Chase will bring you some breakfast. You're white as a sheet, I'm sure you didn't eat anything yet.'

'Thank you so much, Yolanda! I don't know what I'd do without you all.'

'You're always welcome', the old lady replied. 'I'll see you later.'

After she closed the door, Akari put down her bag and looked around – she knew this room very well. She stayed here on her first day at Waffle Island after she passed out during the stormy passage. When she went to the bathroom, she saw a pair of ankle ties on the floor and a clothes bag hung up on the backside of the door with a little heart-shaped note pinned on top.

'Oh Yolanda', Akari smiled, 'you are my fairy godmother!'

**Thanks for reading!**


	3. Masquerade

**Hello everybody and thank****s a lot for your reviews ^^ So in chapter 3 the "prince" finally shows up – or not? There's a little twist to it but it will clear up soon, promised ;) And there is a little crossover with other HM characters, too.**

**Please keep reading & reviewing, really appreciated! ^^ Thanks & I hope you'll enjoy!**

Chapter 3: Masquerade

Akari awoke from her nap by the rays of the afternoon sun shining through the window. She stretched herself out and blinked at the wall clock. _Oh boy, 2 p.m. already, I slept through lunch!_

At that second, Maya knocked at her door: 'Akari, are you awake? Kathy and I brought you a little snack.' _Haha, as if by command_.

Akari got up from the bed and let her friends in. While Maya parked a tray with food on the sideboard, Kathy closed the door again behind herself.

'I'm so happy that you're here', the orange-haired waitress took Akari's both hands. 'Despite the sad situation you're in. How do you feel by now, sweetie?'

'That's really a shame', Kathy yelled before Akari could answer Maya's question. 'How could that woman dare to sell Santana', she growled. 'I think I might "accidentally" spill a big glass of red wine all over Elaine's dress tonight. She can be glad there'll only be finger food, I cannot guarantee what I'd do if I'd get to grab any cutlery', she enthusiastically exclaimed.

Akari couldn't help but join her friends in bursting into laughter. 'I'll be fine, thank you girls! I'm just glad I can join the party tonight', she smiled.

'How do you like your dress?' Maya asked.

'Oh, it's just beautiful! I cannot thank Yolanda enough, she's an angel!'

'Yeah, grandma asked for it at the tailor shop and when Shelly heard you couldn't afford a dress yourself, she made a special price and we all contributed.'

'I don't know what do say, I'm really overwhelmed', Akari said while tears of joy were filling her eyes and her friends smiled in response.

'It's our pleasure', Maya declared. 'By the way, our guests from abroad will arrive in about two hours. They will stay here and I'll introduce you shortly before the ball starts, then we can all go downstairs together. Tonight you just have to act as one of them, that way you won't attract Elaine or Kelly's attention. Great plan, huh? Oh, that's so exciting!'

Kathy and Akari simultaneously raised a brow looking at the cheerful waitress before they all burst into laughter once again.

* * *

Ten minutes before the ball started, Akari paced up and down in her room, waiting for Maya. Her dress consisted of a strapless corsage and a balloon skirt, both in the same light green color which matched her ankle ties; a burgundy garland of flowers was embroidered along the hem and décolleté neckline to which her Y-shaped necklace was color-coordinated. With Kathy's help she had pinned up her hair and tucked in some dark red roses. As she checked herself in the mirror once again, she heard someone knocking.

'It's me, are you ready?' Maya asked.

When Akari opened the door, her friend awaited her with a bright smile. 'Oh wow, you look like a princess', she exclaimed while eyeing Maya's light pink ball gown. 'Absolutely beautiful!'

'Oh, thank you! And you just look smashing, sweetie! This dress was totally made for you', Maya sighed. 'Now I'd like you to finally meet our guests.' She took Akari's hand and they went around the corner to the hallway where five people were waiting.

'Akari, this is Chelsea, her husband Vaughn, Denny, Elliot and his girlfriend Julia. Everyone, this is my friend Akari.'

The young farmer and the guests from Sunshine Island bowed to each other. 'I am very pleased to meet you' she exclaimed.

'So are we', Denny replied as they all gave her a bright smile. 'Shall we go downstairs now, Maya?'

'Yep, everything's ready. Akari, you can join Denny's side. Unfortunately his girlfriend couldn't make it tonight but I'm sure he'd be delighted to give you company. Right, Denny?'

'Sure thing' he exclaimed and reached out his arm which Akari gratefully accepted. She took a deep breath as they all put on their masks and started to walk down the stairway.

* * *

'Denny, would you mind a little break?' Akari gasped in the middle of their third dance that night.

'Not at all, let's get a drink' he replied and swirled her over to the buffet. Three hours had passed in which Akari had learnt a lot about the guests from Sunshine Island. How Denny had gotten around fishing, about Julia's shop which she administrated together with her mother and with Chelsea she met another girl who led a farm on her own. She liked spending her time with them and luckily neither Elaine nor Kelly made an attempt to talk to her yet. They were rather busy checking out if any of the foreign _guys_ might have had more money than Gill. _I somehow feel sorry for him! But after all it's is own fault if he gets involved with a girl like Kelly._

Denny handed a glass of punch to Akari which she chugged instantly. 'Boy, someone's really thirsty', the tanned fisherman chuckled.

'I can work on my farm all day but when it comes to dancing my stamina somehow drops rapidly', she joked.

Suddenly Kathy got across and grabbed her arm. 'Akari, that fella over there keeps staring at you, do you know him?'

'What? Who?'

Kathy pointed at the black-haired guy leaning against the bar while talking to Chase.

'No, I've never seen him before', Akari replied. 'That's odd, Maya didn't mention any further guests.' She surveyed the stranger who wore a light blue tux in combination with a white shirt and dark blue tie. When he looked over to her, she abruptly turned away her now reddened face.

As Akari kept interchanging conjectures with Kathy, someone suddenly tapped her shoulder.

'May I ask for the next dance?'

Akari instantly froze as she met with a pair of blue eyes underneath a white mask.

'Would you mind to introduce yourself first before you ask my friend to dance?' Kathy's curiosity hit him first.

'Please excuse me', he said as he bowed, 'I'm Jack, Chase's cousin.'

Akari shivered. _Jack?_

'Oh, um…nice to meet you. I'm Kathy and this is my friend-'

'Ami', Akari suddenly yelled which reminded Kathy not to mention the farmer's real name.

'Delighted! Well Ami, I would now officially like to ask for this dance.' He reached out his hand as the waltz music began to play.

'U-um…' Akari's gaze kept wandering between her friend's astonished face and the smiling stranger before she finally accepted his hand.

As they twirled round the dance floor, Kathy ran over to Chase and Maya. 'Hey Chase, you never mentioned that you had a cousin! Where is he from?'

The young couple smirked at each other. 'Well, he's our surprise guest from Sunshine Island', Maya replied as she saw the bartender boiling over with curiosity again but she wouldn't mention any further details.

'Ami, that's a beautiful name. Were you born on this Island?' Jack asked.

'N-no', Akari had to think hard of what to say in order not to mention her true identity. 'I came here once with my parents for a holiday and became friends with your cousin and Maya.'

'I see. And what do you do for a living?'

_Damn, I should have invented__ a good story earlier! _'I-I work in a library at my home town.' _Ugh, great idea Akari, you've hardly read anything besides your schoolbooks._ 'What about yourself?'

'I just finished my carpenter apprenticeship and run my own shop at Sunshine Island now.'

'Wow, that's really impressive for someone your age!' She looked at his shining blue eyes which seemed to have a slight tint of gold. _I've never seen such beautifully sparkling eyes before._

'Well, maybe I'm older thank you think.'

'U-um-'

'Just kidding', he chuckled. 'I'm 22, so you're allowed to be impressed', he said before laughing out loud.

Akari brightly smiled at him without taking away her gaze from his eyes. 'Do you have a family? I mean besides Chase. A-are you m-married?' _Boy, _o_h boy! What the heck makes me think asking him such a question all of a sudden?_

He smirked and pulled her closer; her face turned beet-red as he whispered into her ear. 'No, I'm not. And I hope none of the guys here claims to be your husband, either. Because I don't want this to be our last dance tonight.'

Akari smiled to herself and suddenly felt this strange ease of mind. _I don't know what makes me feel so calm but I could dance with him like that forever._

**Thanks for reading!**


	4. Midnight Mysteries

**Sorry for ****the late update, I find it quite hard to write at the moment. But I'm trying to keep it up, also my other story. Thanks so much for your motivating reviews! ^^ There was a little twist in the last chapter but I'm sure you know what's coming next :) So here's chapter 4, I hope you'll enjoy! ^^**

Chapter 4: Midnight Mysteries

Akari gasped as Jack took her hand and led her to Waffle Town Square; her face was still red from their last four dances. Or was it something else that made her cheeks glow? She never met a person like him - cheerful, funny, kind and independent. She enjoyed his company and felt comfortable when he held her in his strong arms while they were dancing. The look in his sparkling eyes plumbed her very soul. _I wonder if he would take off his mask for me, I really want to see his face. But I mustn't reveal my own. Oh, why couldn't I've met him under normal circumstances?_

She sighed as she sat down at the bench in front of the tower clock.

'Are you ok?' Jack asked.

'Yeah, I'm just a bit exhausted', she replied.

'I see', he said as he sat down next to her. 'You know, I'm really enjoying this evening - thanks to you', he smiled. 'I've never met anyone quite like you. So cheerful, funny and kind.' Her cheeks started to glow even more as he finished his sentence. _What?_ 'I…I have to leave tomorrow but…I really want to see you again!'

Akari had to swallow. _Oh my…what should I do now? I really want to see him again, too! But how? What should I tell him?_

'Ami, listen, I-'

She held her breath as he suddenly lifted her chin and leaned over. When his warm, soft lips touched hers she couldn't help but feeling dizzy.

'Ami, what's wrong? Are you alright?'

'Y-yeah, it's ok. I'm just a bit warm...m-maybe the last dance was a bit too much', she softly giggled. _What's wrong with me? I've been kissed many times before, but this time it's…different._

'Wait, I will get you some water. Just stay right here, I will be back in a minute', Jack exclaimed and rushed off while she gazed after him. _He's really sweet. _She lowered her head and tried to clear her mind._ But I really need to think about a plan now. How should I-_

Her thoughts were cut off by the tower clock bell. When she turned around her jaw literally hit the ground and she started to panic. _What? It can't be midnight already! Oh no! NO! W-what shall I do now? I cannot just leave like that. But I have to go! What…I… _She stood up from the bench. _I can't…but…I'm so sorry, Jack! _She lifted the hem of her dress and started to run down the stairs to Waffle Town center. Suddenly she realized that one of her shoe straps started to untie but she just continued to run towards the docks where Gray was already waiting. Before she arrived there, she had lost the loose ankle tie somewhere on the way but she didn't care.

'Gray, please gimme the money quickly, I need to hurry.'

'Ami? Ami, where are you?' Akari heard Jack's voice resounding from the square.

'Please, make haste', she urged.

'Oh, err, ok, here you go.' Gray handed over a small bag to the farmer who instantly headed to the beach down at Caramel River District.

'I'm really sorry, Gray, I'll explain it later. Thank you', she yelled as her silhouette was disappearing in the dark.

Gray shrugged and set off for home as the ferry was leaving the port again. When he passed by the Inn, someone tapped his shoulder from behind.

'Excuse me', Jack gasped, 'have you seen a young woman in a light green dress? She had brown hair and wore a mask.'

'Err', Gray noticed the young stranger was holding a woman's shoe in his hand. He knew Akari joined the ball secretly and after a few seconds he came to the right conclusion. 'I think I saw her entering that boat', he replied and pointed at the sea.

'Oh…um…alright, thank you', Jack said and turned around looking at the docks.

'Well, if that isn't a real "Cinderella" story', Gray giggled to himself as he continued his way.

'Ami', Jack whispered, 'why did you just disappear like that?'

Suddenly he heard someone leaving the Inn.

* * *

Dale stood in front of the carpentry, searching for the keys in his trouser pocket.

'It's not even 0:30 yet and you left the party already. You're really getting old, huh?'

The bearded carpenter turned around at the sound of the loud voice behind him. 'What? Who's there?'

Jack took one step forward into the light of the lamp at the entrance.

Dale blinked when the black haired young man took off his mask: 'Don't you even recognize your own son?'

'Luke?'

In fact Jack from Sunshine Island was Luke from Mineral Town. The dashing fellow who enchanted and impressed Akari so much actually was Dale's son who had left Waffle Island more than three years ago.

'Damn right', Luke laughed and his father pulled him into an embrace.

'Son, I'm so glad to see you! It has been three months since I've visited you last time.'

'Yeah, I missed you, dad!'

'I had no idea you're here! But what the heck did you do with your hair? And your eyes?'

'Well duh, I went to a masked ball, there's the trick', he smirked.

'But why didn't you tell me you're coming?'

'I have to go back tomorrow morning already, I just came here for the engagement party. I didn't want to miss the fun of exciting people's curiosity with my secret identity', he giggled.

'Oh boy, you're still my good old, silly son', Dale laughed. 'When are you leaving?'

'6 a.m., I have a big thing going on with my shop. I will tell you when everything's settled.'

'I see. I can't wait to hear the news. I'm very proud of you, son!'

'You did the right thing to send me off to Mineral Town. Just at the proper time …'

'Forget about your troubles back then! I knew you would pick up courage and not disappoint me.'

'Thanks, dad!'

'Um…Luke?'

'Yes, pops?'

'Just asking but, err…what are you doing with that shoe?' Dale pointed at the ankle tie in Luke's left hand.

'Oh, um…it's a long story', he sighed.

'Well then, come on in, son.'

* * *

Akari looked into the bathroom mirror while brushing her teeth. She had put on her pyjamas and hid the dress in her wardrobe. Since she arrived home, she hadn't been able to think straight.

_I wonder if Jack is still looking for me…I wish I didn't have to leave like that._

She left the bathroom and went to bed.

_I need to ask Chase__ how I can reach him, I want to see him again and apologize. But can I tell him the whole truth yet? I really don't want to lie anymore and make things even more complicated. I somehow feel that I can trust him._

After she had switched off the bedside lamp, she curled herself into the sheets as she recalled the kiss scene - his soft lips and his warm hand gently stroking her cheek.

_Oh Jack, what have you done to me? I feel my cheeks glowing yet again! Oh my!_

She giggled and suddenly remembered that she had lost one of her ankle ties during her run to the docks.

_I guess he must have found my shoe when he was looking for me. I just feel like 'Cinderella'…and Jack__ is my 'prince' - haha! Oh come on, Akari! Grow up, will ya?_

She couldn't help but smiling at this vivid imagination before she finally fell asleep.

**Thanks for reading!**** I promise to shed light upon Luke's past soon ;)**


	5. Unexpected Turn

**To all of you dear readers, I'm truly sorry for the super late update! I've been so busy recently, I ****just couldn't manage to write -.-' I need some time to win in again but I will try to clean up my act and update more often. Sorry to say there's a filler chapter ahead but I hope you're still interested and enjoy reading. Reviews would be great as usual! :) Thank you so much!**

**Chapter 5: ****Unexpected Turn**

Ever since the sun had risen the day after the ball, Akari couldn't help but whistling all morning and swirling from one room into the other.

'Oh, would you shut up already', a grumpy voice yelled from upstairs. Kelly was too dozy to realize her stepsister was whistling all the waltz melodies from last night.

Akari smirked, grabbed her basket and literally twirled outside the front door to feed the animals before she started to harvest the crops. When she plucked the last of the vine-ripe tomatoes, her best friend suddenly came round the corner.

'Kathy?' Akari couldn't hold in the disbelief that resonated in her voice. 'What are _you_ doing up so early', she asked with a big smile.

Silence.

'And what's with that pale face of yours? Gimme a little smile, will ya? It's such a beautiful day today.'

The blonde bartender just stood there, arms akimbo, and took a deep breath before she finally mumbled: 'Please just tell me you didn't do what everyone thought you – no, _Ami _has done last night.'

Akari raised a brow, darting a questioning look at her friend. 'Um…if you tell me what you're talking about I might be able to clear your doubts...?'

'Ok, how does this sound to you: girl meets strange boy at a masked ball, boy asks girl to dance with him which she does for like the entire evening before both of them suddenly disappear for the rest of the night.'

'What? Kathy, you don't-', Akari hissed but instantly lowered her voice again and whispered: 'You don't really think I took him home, do you?'

'Of course I don't. I know you had to leave and stuff...but…you know…people noticed you _both_ didn't come back so…they started talking…and-'

Akari didn't hear the end of the sentence as she burst into laughter. She knew her friend meant no harm but she also knew how easily the young barmaid was naturally influenced by any kind of gossip – she would keep on and on until she worked out the truth. In regards to what happened last night she probably didn't sleep a wink.

'What's so funny?'

'Come on', she smiled as she took Kathy's arm, 'let's go somewhere and talk.'

* * *

Luke was leaning against the ship's rail while his bangs which were left out underneath his bandana gently blew in the soft ocean breeze.

_Flashback_

'_Yeah, now that you mention it, I did spot a girl in a light green dress tonight. So her name is Ami?'_

'_Yep.'_

'_And this is her shoe?'_

'_Yep.'_

'_Well, no girl named Ami is living here, she must have been one of Chase and Maya's guests from Sunshine Island then.'_

'_Yeah, probably…I guess so…maybe…argh, I'm not sure!'_

'_Hey, cheer up__, son. Just call Chase when you're back in Mineral Town and ask him how and where you can reach her.'_

_'Dad, __I already talked to him before I screwed up all my courage and asked Ami to dance with me. He just said she would be a special guest and if I wanna know who she is I should find out myself.'_

'_So?'_

'_Well, she didn't talk much…she seemed to be quite shy…and somehow nervous. Oh, I don't know. But the fact that she ran away after I kissed her speaks for itself I guess...'_

_End of flashback_

Luke hunkered down to sift through his rucksack and pulled out Akari's ankle tie.

'Where are you', he sighed.

* * *

'Hiya Yolanda', Kathy yelled as she entered the Sundae Inn.

The pink-haired cook stopped wiping the tables and turned around as she saw Akari slowly appearing behind the barmaid's back. 'Oh, good morning you two!'

'Hi Yolanda.' The young farmer looked around the room - anyone could still tell there had been a party last night.

'Are you cleaning up all by yourself? Where are the others?' Kathy glanced across the counter into the kitchen. 'We were looking for Chase and Maya, you know?'

'Colleen and Jake went to the market, they'll be back soon. But Chase actually had to leave for his home town this morning. He got a call that his grandmother got sick and Maya accompanied him. Poor guy', Yolanda sighed, 'you know, his grandma is the only family he still has and the doctors are not sure if they can help her.'

'Oh no, that's terrible', Akari whispered. 'Let us know if we can help you guys somehow', she said and Kathy nodded affirmatively. 'I could fill in for Maya and-'

'Thank you girls, we'll be fine. I'll let you know if we hear from Chase and Maya.'

'You know what, I don't have anything to do for the rest of the day, I will stay and help cleaning', Kathy exclaimed and grabbed a rag.

'Oh, I'm sorry, I still have to make a delivery right now but after that -'

'Geez, Akari', Yolanda suddenly burst out, 'I almost forgot: you better go back to your farm and look for Chelsea.'

'What? Why?'

'Well, she asked where your farm would be before she went off with her husband. They already left more than half an hour ago.'

'Uh-oh…I better hurry up, they shouldn't stay alone with Elaine and Kelly too long.'

'Yes dear, you should go right away. And don't worry about us, we'll be fine here.'

'Alright, but you call me if you still need any help, ok? Oh, one more thing, Yolanda…'

'Yes?'

'Thank you so much…you know, for the ball and everything.'

The resolute old lady just winked in response, not without putting on a big smile.

'See ya!'

Akari turned on her heels and reached for the door knob as Kathy suddenly grabbed her arm. 'You gonna be ok? I mean, Chase is taking care of his sick grandma, we cannot bother him with finding Jack right now. Are you fine with that whole situation?'

'Of course I am. Chase's grandmother definitely comes first, her health is more important than anything else now. Gosh, I feel so ashamed only thinking about Jack while poor Chase has to go through such a difficult time.'

'Hey, you couldn't know, don't worry about that. Let's just hope and pray she'll get better soon. And we will also find Jack somehow, everything will be ok, I'm sure', Kathy tried to raise spirits.

Akari took her friend's hand and squeezed it softly. 'I'm sorry but I really gotta leave now, I need to save Chelsea and Vaughn from my stepmother.'

* * *

'Elaine, I'm home', Akari yelled as she closed the front door behind her.

'There you finally are', her stepmother said as she entered the living room. 'Have a seat honey, we need to talk.'

_Uh-oh…what is it now?_ Akari raised a brow and went around the couch to sit down.

'We had guests this morning, a girl named Chelsea and her husband Vaughn. You know, they're Chase and Maya's friends from Sunshine Island who came here for the engagement party.'

'Oh, I see', the young farmer slowly nodded and put on an artificially surprised face.

'Well, Chelsea owns a big farm while her husband is working as an animal trader. They're both very successful in what they're doing and Sunshine Island seems to be a very efficient place to conduct business.'

'So what's your point?' _Please tell me you're gonna move there with Kelly and finally leave me alone – I'd be sorry for the people of Sunshine Island though._

'It would be good for you to help Chelsea working on her farm for a certain time and learn about successful business. So, she and the others are leaving Waffle Island in three days and you're going with them.'

**Thanks for reading and sorry for the filler chapter! More to come soon.**


	6. Reunion Of Two Strangers

**So here is a quick update – sloooooowly building up tension ;) I hope you'll enjoy!**

**Chapter 6: Reunion of two strangers**

Akari collapsed into bed with a deep sigh; the passage to Sunshine Island took more than half a day and although she was longing to sleep, she couldn't clear her mind.

_I wonder if the farm will be alright for the next two weeks. Geez, I'm sure Elaine will not lift one finger and leave all the work to Cain and Craig. As if the poor guys don't have enough work of their own anyway. _

She got up intending to enter the bathroom as there suddenly was a knock at the door.

'Akari? It's me, Kelly!'

___Flashback_

_'What are __**you**__ doing here?'_

_'Well, mum thought it would be a good idea that I also get around and learn something about business in other places.'_

_'I think you mean finding a rich husband…'_

_'What?'_

_'Nothing, let's just get on the boat.'_

_End of flashback_

Akari opened the door and Kelly came rushing in.

'I forgot my hairdryer, I need to borrow yours.'

'I didn't bring one. I'm sure they have hairdryers here, just ask at the reception.'

'No way, they'll only give me some cheap, old thing which will need hours to dry my hair.'

'Well, I cannot help it, just check if they have one at the local shop tomorrow. Leave me alone now, please.' Akari softly pushed her stepsister towards the door.

'Hey, what's with that grumpy mood of yours?'

'I need some _sleep_. See ya tomorrow', she said and slammed the door.

_What have I done to deserve this?_

___

* * *

_

The next morning Chelsea welcomed Akari at the entrance of her farm. 'Good morning, Akari! Did you have a good night?'

'Yes, thank you', she replied and looked around her new friend's property. 'Wow, your farm is beautiful…and huge! Amazing what you have achieved in just two years.'

'Yeah, I'm really proud of it', Chelsea smiled. 'Hey, why don't you come in first? I already brought my animals to the pasture, we can have some breakfast and talk before I show you the rest', she explained and led Akari to the entrance of her house. Vaughn was already waiting in the kitchen at the well-laid table.

The three of them spent almost an hour talking about farming, how Chelsea met Vaughn, about their marriage last winter and how they got to know Chase and Maya. When they finished eating, Akari wanted to clean the table but Chelsea put her off. 'Um, please wait…I think now's the time for Vaughn and me to make a confession.'

'A confession?' Akari raised a brow, trying to somehow figure out what they could be up to.

'Well', Vaughn started, 'this island might be a profitable place but it's not much more efficient than Waffle Island itself.'

'That's right', Chelsea continued and didn't realize that Akari was holding her breath, 'as you already noticed, my farm is quite big and it has grown a lot over the last two years. But compared to your farm I could rather learn something from you than the other way round.'

'Err…ok…so…um…what are you driving at?' The young farmer from Waffle Island couldn't get the idea of the whole situation.

'Chase and Maya told us everything about you and the situation you're in', Vaughn explained. 'They thought it would be a good idea that you'd take some rest…and we agreed.'

'We learnt from them it would be hard for you to escape from your stepmother so we worked out this plan to get you here without anyone becoming suspicious. We just had to exaggerate the island's merits a bit to convince Elaine to let you go', Chelsea smiled.

Akari's jaw literally hit the ground; the couple gave her a few seconds to grope for words.

'I…I…I don't know what to say. This is so sweet...I-'

'Actually, there's more', Vaughn smirked.

'MORE?'

'A ferry will bring you to Mineral Town tomorrow morning', the animal trader explained. 'Barley is awaiting you at his ranch…I'm sure you can't wait to see Santana again', he smiled. 'And don't worry about your stepsister, we'll take care of her.'

Akari couldn't hold back the tears of joy which came rolling over cheeks as she was trying to express her deep thankfulness.

* * *

'Land, ho!'

The ferry approached the coast of Mineral Town as Akari came running up the deck.

_Flashback_

_'Chelsea, can I ask you a question?'_

_'Sure!'_

_'Do you know a young man named Jack?'_

_'Jack…'_

_'Yeah, he's got black hair and blue eyes. He was at Chase and Maya's party. I thought he was from Sunshine Island but I'm not 100% sure.'_

_'No, I'm sorry, I don't know anyone named Jack. Maybe that was a misunderstanding? In that case I guess you better check with Chase and Maya. Sorry I couldn't help.'_

_'I see, no problem. Thank you.'_

_End of flashback_

When the ship landed, Akari grabbed her bag and instantly stormed over the beach. She learnt earlier that Barley's ranch was not far away from the harbor so she ran as fast as she could.

CRASH

Before she could take the steps leading to town square she ran into something and landed backwards in the sand.

'Woah, someone seems to be in a hurry. You ok?'

When Akari looked up she saw someone reaching a hand to help her standing up and she accepted. After she brushed the dust off her clothes, she met with a pair of golden eyes and instantly froze.

'Yo, I'm Luke. Sorry to have knocked you down, I didn't see you coming. Are you alright?'

'Um…y-yeah, I'm fine.'

'I haven't seen you around before, you just moved in?'

'No, I'm…I'm just spending a few days here. I-I was on my way to Barley's ranch.'

'Oh yeah, Barley mentioned he'd be awaiting a guest. Awesome! It's great to see a new face. Although…well, I don't know, I somehow feel I have met you before. What's your name?'

'U-um…Akari.'

'Akari, huh? Well, I would have remembered if I'd met you before. So it's nice to meet you, Akari', he smiled. 'You know what, I'll show you where Barley's ranch is. Let me take your bag.'

'Th-thank you.' Luke's openness took her by surprise but she didn't mind one bit - if anything. As they walked their way to the ranch and kept talking she suddenly felt that strange ease of mind again…

**Thanks for reading!**


	7. Uninvited Guests

**Hello again everyone and thank you for your reviews! ^^ Pleeeease keep '****em coming in and let me know what you think. Thanks & I hope you'll enjoy!**

**Chapter 7: ****Uninvited Guests**

'Oh, good morning, Akari', when Barley came walking down the stairs he was surprised to see the young farmer was already up and had set the breakfast table.

Although she had just spent one day in Mineral Town, Akari instantly got attached to this place. Barley was a caring, kind old man who loved his little granddaughter May more than anything else in this world. Akari almost cried when he apologized to her for taking away her beloved horse although this whole situation was not his fault at all. His property was huge and just by taking one little sip of the fresh cow milk you could tell this ranch was top notch! Akari felt relieved now that the visited Santana's new home and knew he got such lovely people to take care of him.

'Good morning Barley', the young farmer cheered. 'I got up a bit earlier and decided to prepare breakfast. Actually I went to the barn to get some fresh milk from your cows, is that ok?'

'Well', Barley rubbed his chin, 'let's see, a nice young lady is making a delicious breakfast for a greybeard like me…I couldn't be any more offended' he laughed out loud.

Morning passed quickly and when Akari came back from her ride through the local forest, a familiar looking young man awaited her at the ranch.

'Yo Akari', Luke yelled, 'how's it hangin'? I was looking for you.'

'Oh, hi Luke', she said as she got off Santana's back. The young farmer couldn't help but smiling when she laid eyes on the blue-haired carpenter - his apparently irrepressible high spirits somehow calmed her soul.

Suddenly Santana ran square to Luke and nickered as if he would welcome him.

'Attaboy, how are you today', Luke softly stroke the black stallion's forehead while Akari shook her head in disbelief. 'What is it?'

'Oh, um…it's just the first time I see him getting along so well with anyone besides myself. He usually isn't that calm with others.'

'Yeah, Barley told me his wild- err, wait. How do you know? You're not sayin' you're his former owner, are you?'

'I am.'

'Oh wow! Why did you ever sell such a beautiful horse – sorry, I mean, if I may ask?'

'Well…', Akari sighed, 'I didn't sell him myself, I never would. My stepmother did without telling me.' The soft pink the summer breeze had put on her cheeks suddenly disappeared.

'Stepmother, huh? So you're also running a ranch at your home town? Where are you from anyway?'

'I run a farm at Waffle Island.'

'WHAT?' Akari flinched at Luke's loud scream. 'No way, I'M from Waffle Island, how come I never met you before?'

'E-err, I-'

'Well girl, I see we still have a lot to blab about! I came here to show you around but now I think we should clear things between us first!'

Just within seconds, Luke led Santana to the pasture, took Akari's hand and they literally ran off to town square. After more than one hour of 'exploratory' talk, he took her to town to meet the residents of Mineral Town. Another hour had passed before they headed back to the ranch.

'Man, I really gotta scold my dad for not giving me the full picture. He only referred to you as "the new farmer's daughter". He didn't even mention your father had passed away.'

'Well, you guys had more important things to talk about after you had moved here.'

'Maybe, but I still would have liked to be updated about what's happening back home. Gosh, I miss Waffle Island…'

'I can imagine, but why you didn't come at least for a visit during the last three years then?'

'Well, actually I was-', Luke got lost in his thoughts for a few seconds before he decided not to mention his recent secret visit. He realized the sudden parting from Ami still hurt - he couldn't know she was standing right next to him. 'Um, I was very busy. And I guess the others are still not very keen on seeing me after what I had done.'

Akari didn't know what it was but when she saw Luke's smile fading, she felt a strange pain in her chest. She gently took his hand and squeezed it softly. 'Don't worry, I'm sure nobody's mad at you and they all want you to come back.'

'You think? Oh, I don't know…one thing's for sure: I need to prove I can be a good person before I ever go back home.'

'But you _are_ a good person.'

'How could you tell? We only met one day ago.'

'Well, I…I just know, ok? Besides, Barley mentioned how many times you had helped him with Santana already. And all the people here seem to be very fond of you. Come on now, give me a little smile? You know, that sad snoot doesn't suit you.'

As if by command, he burst out into laughter. 'Akari, it's really a shame we haven't met earlier.'

When they arrived back at the ranch, Luke instantly bid farewell. 'Sorry, I gotta make a move. Business, you know', he chuckled. 'How 'bout if I show you my shop tomorrow?'

'Sure! I'm really curious to see your stuff.'

'Awesome! You know, farm-girl', he put on a smirk, 'this has been a nice afternoon. You helped me curing my homesickness a bit, thanks for that. Well, see ya tomorrow then' he exclaimed as he turned on his heels and disappeared.

Akari smiled to herself. _Yes, this certainly was a nice afternoon, carpenter-boy._

When she entered Barley's house, he instantly came up to her. 'Oh, good you're back, Chelsea was calling several times, she has to talk to you urgently.'

'Oh ok, thank you, I'll call her back right away.'

No sooner said than done - after she dialed the number, Chelsea picked up the other end of the phone after just one ring.

'Oh Akari, finally', the young girl sounded frantic.

'Chelsea, what's wrong, did something happen?'

'Yes, indeed! Kelly is on the way to Mineral Town!'

'What? But why…how-'

'Oh, I'm so sorry about that! I'm afraid little Eliza accidentally tattled. I don't even know how she knew about it in the first place. Anyway, I was calling to warn you. I'm really sorry!'

'Please don't worry about that! I'll take care of it, I'm sure we can shelter her at the local inn.'

'She'll probably arrive by late evening, she took the first ferry shortly after lunch. Just so you know, after she had found out we told her you went to Barley's ranch to learn about animal husbandry.'

'Ok, gotcha.'

'Oh err…one more thing: don't be too surprised if you see her, she went to the hairdresser this morning.'

* * *

After Luke had dropped off Akari at the ranch that afternoon, he went to see Saibara. The old blacksmith taught him a lot and to date the two of them have been working closely together. When they had finished their daily meeting, Luke went back to his own shop which was conveniently located next door. He pulled the latchkey out of his pocket just to find the entrance unlocked.

'Hello...? Is Anybody There...?' He slowly opened the door and cast a glance inside.

Silence. There was no one to be seen at first but suddenly a red-haired woman moved her curvy body around the corner. 'Hi Luke.'

'S-Selena?'

**Thanks for reading!**** As a little note, I know there actually is no hair salon at Sunshine Island but I decided to just make one up ^^ Soooo, now **_**two**_** troublemakers are stepping in – yeah, I thought we need some drama coming up here ^^**


	8. Past, present and no future?

**Hi there! Long time no update, I'm really sorry for**** that - busy times, you know ;) Hope you all had a Merry Christmas and nice holidays!  
****Now I'm gonna shed ****some light on Luke's past. Sorry for this filler chapter, I will try to come up with the next one soon. Please don't forget to review! ^^ ****Thanks and I hope you'll enjoy!**

**Chapter 8: ****Past, present…and no future?**

'S-Selena…I…you…how did you…what are you doing here?' Luke got totally jumped. He hadn't seen his ex-girlfriend for more than three years.

'Well, I-I…', she cleared her throat, 'after I had been with my grandparents for such a long time I finally returned home. I went to visit y-you on Waffle Island but I learnt from your dad you moved here. He…he wasn't too happy to see me and didn't want to tell me where you are at first but I could convince him. Luke, I…I came to apologize to you!'

_Flashback_

'_Dammit Luke, you have turned into a freakin' scumbag! I can't believe it, I don't even know you anymore! You bum around, you drink, you steal, you riot – for God's sake, you gave Chase a black eye, all because of __**her**__?'_

'_He deserved it…he called her a tramp!'_

'_She __**left**__ you! Without a reason and without a word of goodbye! She left you for another guy whom she only knew for a week! I don't necessarily approve Chase's word choice but bottom line he was right to call her that. Luke, wake up! She is gone while your friends are still here and trying to help you! But in return you act like an idiot!'_

'_Dad, I thought she was __**the**__ one! The one I'd marry, the one I'd have a family with. And now she's gone…gone just like that.'_

'_I…well, I know how you feel, son. I never thought I was gonna live through the loss of your mother but I knew I had to go on with my life, also for your sake. In the end __**you**__ gave me that strength. And now you have to move on, too, as impossible as it may seem right now. Don't forget who you are and most of all, don't forget the people who love and care about you!'_

'_But I am nothing without her!'_

'_Oh, stop talking rubbish already!'_

'_Then what am I supposed to do, dad? Huh? What shall I do? Tell me!'_

'_Well, first of all you're still drunk, you should sleep it off right away and calm down for heaven's sake! Once you're in your right mind again, we might be able to find a way._

_End of flashback_

'L-Luke…won't you…say anything?'

The young carpenter didn't realize that two full minutes of silence had passed.

'What…', he sighed, 'Selena, what do you expect from me? I haven't seen you ever since you…left me. I can't find any…_nonchalant_ words off the top of my head just like that.'

'I-I know, I'm sorry…t-to be honest I don't really know what to say either.'

'Then why are you here anyway?' Luke didn't really mean to be grumpy but he just felt as if he was catapulted back to the past.

'I-I…I couldn't stand one more day of this uncertainty. I needed to know how you're feeling, what you're doing, what-'

'What's with that sudden concern of yours?'

Selena was truly shocked when the coldness of his words hit her. 'Well, I…', she swallowed, 'I have changed over those last three years, you know. A-and I notice you have, too. I had no idea what how bitter you've become.'

'I'm not bitter, Selena. I never was. Well, it's true: I _did_ act like an idiot for a certain period of time but not because of bitterness. I was mad at myself for not being able to keep you from leaving me, I thought I was not good enough for you and that you left me because of that. Meanwhile I know it was not true and I have learned from the mistakes I made.'

Selena's cheeks started to glow, Luke could see the true shame in her eyes as he continued to talk. 'Since you came here all the way, I wonder if you have learned from your own mistakes…' He raised a brow and darted an expecting look at his ex-girlfriend who was baffled by his clear and mature words.

'Well, I…I'm well aware that I made mistakes in the past, too. BIG mistakes. I was only seventeen - a stupid teenager, too young and too blind to see what we had. I mean…that's no excuse for my behavior b-but probably the reason for it.'

Luke realized how hard it was for her to strive for words; he took a deep breath. 'You should have seen how I've acted towards my friends after you had left. They tried to help me and in return I insulted and argued with them. It's a miracle that Chase already condoned what I've done to him. But I still have no idea if the others will ever forgive me. I was a complete moron and only raised trouble for everyone.'

It was no accusation, he didn't even raise his voice, he just made a calm statement. It surprised himself how steady he was just now.

Selena bit her lower lip, trying hard to hold back the upcoming tears. 'Luke, listen…you meant a lot to me, you still do! I…I was a selfish teenager who only cared about adventure, I just let everyone down and I didn't even mind. I-I am truly sorry for what I have done to you, I really mean it! Please believe me, it never was my intension to hurt your feelings! My eyes are wide open now…finally.'

Luke turned away his gaze from her tear-filled eyes and looked outside the window. On one hand he was surprised – in a positive way – by her honest confession. On the other hand he found it more difficult to answer her now. If she would have acted like the stubborn teenager she had been, he could have handled it. But he had to face the fact that Selena grew up, too.

'Listen…I appreciate that you came here to apologize. I really do.' He folded his arms in front of his chest, still not facing her. 'But I hope you'll understand that I need some more time to clear my mind before I can talk to you again. You know, without all these memories stuck in the back of my head.'

'Yes…I understand. It's fair enough…I mean…um…well…I guess it wasn't right to just come here. I…I'll better leave now.'

When Selena reached for the door knob, Luke suddenly grabbed her arm. She backed off first when their eyes met but all at once she also realized how much she had missed this passionate, golden sparkle.

'No offense, ok', he calmly said. 'I just need a bit more time.'

The red-haired dancer nodded shortly but intense – she was neither able to say anything nor to turn away from his eyes.

'Alright', he whispered as he relaxed his grasp. 'I guess…I'll see you soon.'

'See you.' Selena slowly turned her gaze away from his and went out. She still remained in front of the carpentry, burying her face in her hands. It took her a few seconds to swallow her tears and look up again, smiling. _Oh Luke…you still love me! You really do, I knew it! Now you'll just need a little push to return to my side again. But don't worry darling, I'll help you along…_

**Thanks for reading!**


	9. Calm Before The Storm

**Hello gorgeous people! :) ****There's not really much to say about this update except that it's a long filler chaper. Sorry for that, but we gotta get prepared for a storm ;) I'm happy about each single reader and subscriber, you guys are great! Please keep reviewing ^^ Thanks & I hope you'll enjoy!**

P.S.: Due to HUGE formatting problems I had to re-upload the chapter several times until it worked properly -.-' Sorry to all subscribers that you received so many update notifications! :\

**Chapter 9: ****Calm Before The Storm**

Akari ran down to the docks – everything was settled for Kelly to arrive. The room at the local Inn was booked and everyone had been informed why the young farmer 'officially' was in Mineral Town. Well, _almost_ everything was settled…

_Now I just have to think of a good reason to send her back to Sunshine Island__ again tomorrow. No, I better send her back home right away! Think Akari! THINK!_

When she arrived at the beach she instantly checked her watch: 'Ten more minutes…phew, I was faster than I thought'. As she started to walk down the jetty, she could see a silhouette crouching at its end.

'Um…h-hello there? Are you alright?'

The person stood up, turned around and slowly approached Akari - in the light of the sunset she couldn't recognize a face, she only perceived the sound of clashing jewelry and shining red hair.

'Hi…um, excuse me, do you know when the next ferry arrives here', a strange voice asked.

'Hello. Err…', Akari looked down at her watch again, 'yeah, in about nine minutes.'

'Okay, thank you. I'm Selena by the way, nice to meet you', she said as she bowed.

'Oh, um, I'm Akari. Nice to meet you, too.' She put her right hand above her forehead trying to recognize the facial features of her new acquaintance. 'Sorry, but I haven't seen you around before, are you here for a visit or…?'

'Yeah, I'm from Toucan Island and came to see an old friend.' The light smile suddenly disappeared from her face and she lowered her head.

'A-are you ok? Did I say something wrong?'

'No no, it's fine. I…I just didn't think it would be that hard to see Lu-…_him_ again. Oh, but um…well…I'm sorry, never mind', Selena sighed.

Akari suddenly froze. _Huh? Wait a minute …  
_

* * *

'Don't worry dad, it's not your fault.' Luke paced up and down in his bedroom; he had to talk a little louder, for some reason the phone connection was quite poor this evening.

'I just shouldn't have told her where you are. I'm sorry!'

'Again: don't worry about that. It was ok….just a bit odd. We have clarified the situation…well, sort of. I'll settle everything else once I'm back home.'

'Okay, if you say so. You _sure _you're alright?'

'YES, dad! For the last time: don't worry, ok?'

'Alright, alright', Dale softly chuckled. 'So, tell me, have you met Akari yet?'

'Yes, I- err…wait! How do you know she's here? She told me-'

'Well, I know about her situation from Yolanda. Everyone knows…it's more or less an open secret. Poor girl', he sighed. 'I just wanted to know if she's doing fine.'

'Oh, I see. Um, yeah, Akari's fine, she seems to enjoy spending time here. But dad, I was wondering…I mean, how come you never told me anything more about her before? You know that you should always tell me what's going on at home.'

'You're right, I'm sorry about that but…well, when you moved away I didn't wanna distract you. Especially not with any stories about _girls_, considering what you just went through at that time.'

'Yeah alright, fair enough', Luke pouted. 'Anyways, I _did_ meet her – finally - and I have to say she's great. Open-minded, funny and, despite her difficult situation, very cheerful. She's an impressive character. She even helped me to forget about-', Luke suddenly cleared his throat.

'Ami', Dale asked.

'Yeah…at least for a few minutes.'

'Oh son! You know, I'm happy that you show an interest in love again, but…well, I just wish it wouldn't be so complicated every time. Haven't you had enough complications already?'

'I know…but dad, when I met Ami, I…I felt something special! Everything about her was so charming. She's so sweet and shy but yet funny and cheerful. I can't really explain it; I just knew that every second I'll spend with her will be worth it.'

Luke could suddenly hear a loud sigh at the other end of the phone line.

'Alright pops, shoot! Just say it: "You sound like a lovesick idiot!" '

'No, not at all. Actually I understand you. I…I kind of felt the same when I met your mom. '

'Really', he cheered.

'Yeah', Dale replied but instantly cleared his throat. 'But different from you I wasn't chasing a…"phantom".' He sighed and heard his son mumble something into the receiver. 'Oh boy…I know I can't talk you out of this so _please _just promise me you won't obsess about the whole situation. I mean who knows if you'll ever see her ag-'

'I _will_ see her again', the young carpenter stated. 'But I will not loose control, dad. I promise. Goddess knows what happens when I do', he sighed.

'That's my boy', Dale said in a slightly relieved tone. 'So…whatcha gonna do for the rest of the evening?'

'Smart change of subject, dad', Luke chuckled. 'Well, I'll meet Saibara at the Inn for a couple of drinks. Remember I told you I have a big thing going on with my carpentry? We'll discuss some more details tonight to settle everything. We're actually awaiting a guest from Sunshine Island tomorrow.' A proud grin spread on his face.

'You say tomorrow? But haven't you heard about the storm yet?'

'Huh?'

'Yeah, there's a storm coming. The passages from Waffle Island have already been stopped this morning and I guess the ones from Sunshine Island and Mineral Town will also be stopped tomorrow. Actually the wind here keeps getting stronger already, I assume the storm will fully hit us sometime tomorrow.'

'What? Really? Dad, you gonna be fine, are you prepared? And what about the others?'

'Yeah, don't worry, everyone is prepared, the warning was issued yesterday afternoon. We won't leave our houses until it's over. I just wonder you haven't heard or read anything about it yet, the warnings were all over the media. Anyway, make sure you're gonna tell everyone, I think it takes another day before the storm arrives in Mineral Town.'

* * *

'So Selena, how do you like Mineral Town?' Akari tried hard not to wander off the usual small talk topics although she was bursting with curiosity – which was totally against her nature.

_Flashback_

'_Oh my! Come to think of it, I knew Dale had a son! Kathy told me about you.'_

'_Haha, who else?'_

'_Haha, true! But she __only mentioned that you'd be off to another town for an indefinite period of time. I on the other hand didn't inquire any further since dad and I were so busy with building up the farm.'_

'_Well, I'm glad you didn't inquire and that Kathy spared you all the lousy details…although she's not the type to remain silent. Ah, good old Kathy, I miss her!'_

'_Don't you think she and the others miss you, too?'_

'_I don't know. Maybe. But after all I've done…'_

'_Listen Luke, you don't need to tell me what happened - I mean we hardly know each other after all. But I really can't imagine that everyone is so mad at you that they wish you'd never come back home. If so, don't you think I would know everything about you already?'_

'_Huh? Whaddya mean?'_

'_Well, according to my experience, no one could ever resist to constantly blab about the "black sheep in town". If Kathy and the others wouldn't care about you anymore, they'd have told me all the "dirty" details to warn me against you. But they believe in you and want you to come home whenever you're ready…I'm sure they do!'_

'_. . . . .'_

'_What? Luke…what is it? W-why are you staring at me? Oh wait…I get it. You think what I just said was stupid, don't you? W-well, I-'_

'_No! No…not at all. I think you are very wise, Akari. In fact, you managed to calm my mind a bit. No one except my dad has ever been able to do so. Ha, I feel so strangely comfortable when we're talking. I can't really explain why.'_

'_. . . . .'_

'_Now you're the one who's speechless, huh? Haha. But seriously, despite the fact we hardly know each other you seem to do me good. Isn't there something I could do for you in return?'_

'_Hm. . . . . . How about we bear one another's burden? I guess that would be a good start.'_

'_You mean a good start for what's gonna turn into a great friendship.'_

'_Well, I guess so. You sure you're ready to tell me all the "lousy details" as you call it?'_

' _. . . . . I am.'_

_End of flashback_

The red haired dancer shrugged. 'I can't really tell to be honest, I just arrived this morning. Maybe I can stay longer during my next visit.'

'Huh? You mean you're going back home already?'

'Yeah', she sighed. 'I guess it's better that way, at least for now.'

'Why, what do you mean? What's the problem with staying here?' Akari knew for sure and although she didn't mean to inquire she just couldn't help it.

'I guess you know Luke?'

The young farmer had to swallow. She expected the conversation to eventually shift like that but Selena's question still caught her on the hop. 'Yeah, I-I do.'

'Well, he's my boyfriend…_ex_-boyfriend. Ah, I don't know, it's a long, complicated story but I do know he still loves me. I need to give him some space now but I certainly will come back to rouse his passion afresh!' Selena looked at Akari who suddenly was white as a sheet. 'Oh gosh, I'm sorry! I didn't wanna bother you with my private stuff, I got carried away.'

Akari didn't know why but her heart was suddenly beating so heavily as if it was about to break her ribcage. Before she could say anything, the ship's bell of the approaching ferry interrupted her thoughts.

**Thanks for reading!**


	10. False Assumptions

**Hi there! Sorry to say this isn't really a new chapter, I decided to re-write Chapter 10 instead. When I tried to continue the story I found it pretty hard to come up with ideas and realized the chapter was a bit over the top in terms of character development, so I decided to change it. I hope you don't mind a second try and enjoy reading this *updated* Chapter.**

**Chapter 10: False Assumptions**

The evening that Luke had initially booked for a business meeting had been turned into a town gathering; the young carpenter first told Saibara about the upcoming storm and they started walking from door to door just to find all houses empty. When they finally arrived at the Inn, they realized that Mayor Thomas had already called all residents to get together.

Akari joined the scenario shortly before Luke and Saibara did; in the thick of all the uproar she was completely lost in thought. Just a few moments earlier she had to learn that her stepsister would have to stay at least two days - no ferry would be leaving until the storm was over. Not only that, she also had to deal with the fact that Kelly's new hairstyle made the two of them almost look like twins.

The first person who was able to distract the farm girl from her thoughts that night was Selena; when she leaned over to speak to Luke, Akari pricked up her ears.

'I'm really scared, you know? I never experienced such a bad storm before', the red haired dancer whispered.

'No need to worry, most of the houses here were built with basements, it's a safe town to stay.' Luke felt awkward when Selena slowly pestered him; all residents were penned up at small tables, there was no way to inconspicuously move away from her.

To Selena's left Akari was trying to overhear their conversation; at the same time she was wondering by which point she turned into Kathy, she had never been that nosy before. She winced when her stepsister suddenly tugged at her sleeve: 'I'm tired, I wanna go to sleep! How long do these people wanna keep blabbing?'

'Ssssssh', Akari hissed. 'Don't act like a pouting child! There's a storm coming, people have to get prepared for heaven's sake!'

'Hey, calm down, okay! If you'd care more about your outward appearance you'd know how important it is to get at least eight hours of beauty rest every night.' Kelly wrinkled her nose: 'Haha, well, not that it would be of service to _you_ - you're just a hopeless case.'

Akari suddenly smirked. 'Really? I'm wondering why you just copied _my_ hairstyle then.'

Kelly had to swallow, followed by a moment of silence.

'So?' Akari pushed.

'Well…um…it's just…'

'I'm getting old here.'

'It's because of Gill, okay?'

'Gill? Why? Did he mention he's more into brunettes or what?' Akari certainly was amused.

'Kind of,' Kelly snorted. 'There was a strange girl that night at the ball and he mentioned how pretty she was.'

At those words Akari suddenly froze - she tried her best to stay calm and act surprised. 'A strange girl? Did she come along with Chelsea and Vaughn?'

'I don't know. No one does. There also was a strange guy that nobody besides Chase seemed to know and they just disappeared together that night.'

'But Chase must know who she was, didn't you ask him?' the young farmer inquired with faked curiosity.

'I did, but he just waved me off, saying she's a special guest and it's none of my business. Pfff, he's such an idiot!'

'M-hm,' Akari tried to hide her inner relief. 'And just because of one comment from Gill about a _strange _girl you changed your hairstyle completely?'

'It freaked me, okay? He talked about her almost all night, trying to find out who she is. I mean, she was wearing a mask for heaven's sake, how could _anyone_ tell she was beautiful? Besides, _I_ should be the only one he has the hots for and I wanted to be sure about it – even if that makes me look like _you _now.' Kelly suddenly raised a brow. 'Actually…if I wasn't certain that you were not at the ball, I could swear that girl were you,' she pouted and looked straight into her stepsister's eyes.

Akari could feel she was about to break out in a sweat; she knew she had to choose her words very wisely now. 'Well, I have to admit I'm still sad I wasn't there, Chase and Maja are my friends after all. On the other hand I still wanted to spend as much time with Santana as possible before I would loose him,' she thoughtfully said.

'You and your stupid horse…oh wait, it's actually not _your_ horse anymore. I'm glad that wild, stinkin' creature is gone – mum said she will buy me some fancy new clothes from the sales revenue,' Kelly smirked.

The young farmer pushed her chair away from the table with a quick slide and went to the buffet to get a glass of water. She was eased that Kelly doesn't seem to become suspicious but her spiteful behavior stretched Akari to the limit.

'Hey, you ok?' Luke suddenly stood behind her.

'Yeah, I'm fine', she sighed.

'You sure? You do look exhausted. Did something happen between you and your stepsister?'

'No, she just told me about the ball and, ah…how _relieved_ she is that my stepmother had sold Santana,' Akari hissed.

Luke promptly turned around and took a closer look at Kelly. 'Err, you mean s_he_ was…um…a b-ball?'

'Yeah, Chase and Maja's engagement party. Didn't Dale tell you about it?'

'Oh, um…yeah, actually he did…I-I guess I forgot,' the carpenter cleared his throat; he seemed oddly nervous. 'Anyway, um, let me know if there's anything I can do for you.'

'Well, I guess I should rather ask _you_ if you're alright, eh?'

'Huh? Oh, you mean because of Selena. It's ok I guess,' he shrugged. 'She's quite reserved, I think I don't have to worry about it. I'll just try to get out of her way as much as I can.'

Akari raised a brow. 'Okay…if you say so. Ah,' she sighed, 'I just wish this bloody storm would be over already.'

'Don't worry, everything will be fine.' Luke's voice sounded much more caring than the moment he was trying to calm Selena. He had no idea that Akari wasn't scared but rather eager to get rid of her stepsister again.

'Hey, besides we're gonna have a nice basement party at my shop tomorrow', he giggled, trying to ease the atmosphere.

'Yeah, thanks for letting Barley, May and me stay at your place by the way.'

'Sure thing!'

'Alright everyone, may I please have your attention', Mayor Thomas suddenly requested and they both returned to their seats. While the action plan for the storm got summarized, Akari didn't notice that Luke's glance kept wandering to Kelly's face again and again.

When the town gathering eventually came to an end, the blue haired carpenter instantly got a hold of Akari: 'Hey, um…can I ask you something?'

_Flashback_

'_So you have a stepmother and –sister, huh?'_

'_Yeah.'_

'_What are they like?'_

'_Well, first I could cope with the fact that dad married Elaine. She was really nice and I got along with Kelly very well, I was happy to have a sister now. But shortly after, when my dad started to build up the farm – no, already when he planned it, things suddenly changed. Elaine got greedier and turned Kelly into a spoiled brat. Our relationship was getting more difficult ever since. It was hard for my dad to realize, so I pulled myself together for his sake. Maybe Elaine was just pretending to be nice to get at dad's money, I don't know. But I somehow believe that Kelly might still have a good heart. There are moments where she acts normal, like she did when we were kids but…as time goes by I just think it's hopeless.'_

'_Never give up hope, Akari. Family's more important than anything. Didn't you tell me I should have faith in my family and friends and that they will forgive me? Maybe you should have some faith in Kelly as well. Who knows, deep down inside she might still be the good person you've known before. Maybe she's unable to show her true side because of her mother, she might just need a little push.'_

'_Yeah_..._who knows? But I already kept trying all these years and it's hard to believe in someone who treats you like a servant all the time. I just can't talk normally to her or Elaine anymore and…it simply gets worse and worse, especially since my dad died.'_

'_I'm sorry to hear that. But still, keep the faith. You seem to have a strong will, I bet you're able to change things and make it come out alright. And, you know…for any hard times you now have a new friend who you can talk to – anytime!'_

'_Thank you, Luke.'_

_End of flashback_

'Yeah, sure,' Akari replied.

Luke dragged her away from the table but they both didn't realize that Kelly silently went over to the buffet at the same time – within their earshot.

'It's about Kelly…and the ball,' he almost whispered.

The young farmer doubtfully raised a brown. 'Err…yes?' she asked, clearly confused, and instantly added: 'I was not there but she told me a bit about it, I will try to answer your questions if I can.'

'Okay…um…so…Kelly was at the ball that night, right?' he asked.

'Yeah,' Akari confirmed, eager to hear what he would be up to.

'Do you know if…if she…u-um…'

'Luke,' Selena suddenly approached them.

Akari noticed an annoyed look spreading across the carpenter's face – what she couldn't see was the annoyed look on _Kelly's_ face when the conversation got interrupted.

'Yes?' Luke coldly asked.

'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you guys, I just wanted to ask if you'll also stay at the Inn during the storm?' the redhead inquired.

'Um, if you would excuse me, I-I still got some work to do,' Akari lied and abruptly went off. She didn't mean to leave the perplexed Luke behind like that but she felt very uncomfortable at that moment - she knew Selena was still in love with him.

A few seconds passed until Luke found his tongue and started to explain to his ex-girlfriend that he and his guests would be staying at his own basement during the storm; wisely he also mentioned he had no more space for further guests. Neither of them realized that Kelly had sneaked upstairs into her hotel room where she instantly picked up the phone. After dialing the number she could hear the voicemail of her mother's cell phone – she knew Elaine left it off during the storm, so she called to leave her a message:

'Hi mum, it's me. I just wanted to let you know everything's working out just fine! Dale's son took our bait and Akari is absolutely clueless. I'll follow our plan and make sure they won't become suspicious.' Kelly paused for a moment and suddenly scowled. 'I promise to take that lying bitch home as soon the storm is over.'

**Thanks for reading.**


	11. Misleading

**Hello dear readers! I'm sorry for the rare updates, at the moment I'm not able to continue writing as much as I want to but I'll surely keep it up.  
Thank you very much for your patience and please keep reviewing, let me know your thoughts :) Thanks and I hope you'll enjoy.**

Chapter 11: Misleading

'Good morning, Selena!'

It was the day after the town gathering; Kelly sat at the Inn, eating her breakfast, as a certain red-haired girl came walking down the stairs.

'Oh…um, good morning.'

'Hey, would you like to sit down and have breakfast with me?' Kelly smiled. 'I thought we could get to know each other a bit better since we're gonna spend the next days together. We didn't have much time to talk so far.'

'I, um…,' Selena hesitated for a moment and glanced around as if she was looking for someone, but her glimpse remained unrequited. 'Sure…why not,' she finally said.

'Cool! Here, please take a seat,' Kelly exclaimed and pointed at the chair to her right. 'I'm happy to have some company. I feel a bit lonely since I don't know anyone around here…well, besides Akari.'

'Yeah, I also don't know anyone besides Luke…and Akari. Well, kind of, I just met her shortly before you arrived,' Selena explained as she sat down.

'Oh, that's right, I saw you talking to that blue-haired guy a few times yesterday. I thought since you know him you also know the other residents.'

'No, it's my first visit here, I only know Luke. He used to live on Waffle Island before. We are…old friends.'

'Oh really? He must've moved here more than three years ago then. You see, I live on Waffle Island, too, but I've never met him since we had bought the farm. So you have also lived there in the past?'

'Yeah. Well, originally I'm from Toucan Island, I just used to live on Waffle Island during the summer seasons, I had a part-time job at the local bar.'

'I see. But how come we've never met before? Have you also been abroad, like Luke?'

'Yeah, I've been living with my grandparents for the last three years. I'm going back home again once the storm is over.'

'Oh, so you and Luke moved away at the same time, huh? Was that planned or just pure coincidence?'

'Um…w-well…,' Selena turned beet-red and gazed down at the floor.

'Gosh, I'm so sorry,' Kelly clasped her hand over her mouth. 'I didn't mean to be so nosy, it's none of my business of course.'

'Well…um…Luke and me, w-we-'

'Please forget about my question,' Kelly suddenly interrupted. 'I'm sorry for that, let's talk about something else.' She smiled and winked at the redhead. 'But first we should get you a nice breakfast.' When she turned around to call for Doug, Selena couldn't see the big, fat smirk on her face. 

* * *

'Yo Akari, you there?' Luke yelled as he entered Barley's yard.

'Holy crap,' the young farmer screamed as she suddenly came walking out of the stable. 'Keep it down, you're gonna scare up the cattle,' she smirked.

'Haha, I'm sorry,' he ashamedly giggled. 'I was on my way to Gotz's house and just came by to see if you needed any help.'

'Oh, thank you,' Akari smiled. 'Um, let's see: the house and stables are prepared, we have flashlights and candles, Barley and May are off to buy some more groceries…nope, I think we're good.'

'That's great,' he replied and scratched the back of his head while staring at the ground.

'Um…Luke?'

'Yeah?'

'Is there something else you came here for?'

'Um, not really, I mean…well yes, I…,' he mumbled and took a deep breath. 'I was wondering if you'd have a moment to talk.'

The farmer smiled tenderly in response. 'I knew there was something else. Well, of course I ha-'

'Akari,' May suddenly yelled and came running towards the property. 'Can you come to the grocery store? Grandpa needs some help carrying the bags. He bought so much stuff and he said I'm not strong enough to help,' she pouted.

Akari had to grin; she always thought May was cute when she was sulking. 'Seems Barley is making absolutely sure we won't be starving, huh?' she laughed. 'Sure sweetie, I'm coming. I'm sorry, Luke, can we talk later?'

'Sure, go ahead, I'll help you guys.'

'Oh, we'll be fine, we don't wanna hold you up from your work, you wanted to go to Gotz's place, right? Thank you though! I'll see you later then?'

'Um…yeah, sure,' he weakly smiled. 'See ya.'

As the girls had set forth for town, Luke changed his mind and went back to his carpentry first where he instantly picked up the phone. 

* * *

After having a long breakfast together, Kelly and Selena parted company around noon. The dancer had excused herself and went for a walk through the local forest, secretly hoping she would meet Luke somewhere on the way. Kelly used the time to stroll around town, lost in thoughts about how she could use Selena's feelings for Luke for her revenge on Akari.

When she reached a house with a big sign that said 'Luke's Carpentry', she suddenly stopped. She silently remained in front of the door for a few seconds before she finally raised her hand and knocked. There was no answer, so she knocked again - still no answer. She slowly reached for the doorknob and turned it to find the carpentry unlocked. After taking a peek inside, she slowly entered but instantly backed off again as a cell phone suddenly started ringing.

'Gosh,' Kelly sighed, took a deep breath and slowly set foot inside again as that cell phone kept ringing. After looking around, she found it on the lying counter, the display saying 'Chase is calling'. She swallowed – after the phone had ringed two more times, she panicky picked it up and held it to her ear without saying a word.

'H…lo? Lu…, c….you…he…me?' she heard in-between statics from the other end of the line. It was a bad connection but she could tell that Chase seemed to be quite excited.

'Yes?' she whispered in a deep voice, trying to somehow sound like a guy.

'Tha…od…I reach…y…! Lis…,I…ca...hard…hear…y…, ju…mak…su…to…lis…caref… now! I… ha…to tell y…someth…real…import…! Plea…ju…lis…carefully!'

'Yes?' she repeated, again in a deep voice.

'It…NOT…Kel...! Di…yo…hea…what I sa…? It…NOT…K…, ok…?'

'What?', Kelly yelled in her normal voice and instantly clasped her hand over her mouth.

'Plea…lis…caref…again,' Chase said. 'It…ver…import…! Plea…lis… now!'

She sighed in relief when she realized he didn't seem to be suspicious. 'Yes?' she asked, now in a deep voice again.

'It…NOT…K..ly! Hea…me? It…wa…Aka…at th…ball!' Got th…? It wa…Aka…! AKARI!'

At that moment Kelly almost dropped the phone. 'Shit,' she hissed and hung up to instantly check the mailbox, making sure Chase didn't leave a message before he called. Suddenly the phone started ringing again but she turned off the power right away.

'I can't leave it here,' she whispered to herself, quickly shoved the phone into her little handbag and went to the door. After sneaking outside to make sure no one was around, she set forth for the Inn. 

* * *

The wind had gotten quite strong by late afternoon and they sky was covered with clouds. Everyone in town hurried up to get finished with their preparations – the storm was only a few hours away.

Akari knocked at Luke's door, little May at her hand.

'Come in,' they heard from inside.

The young farmer opened the door just to find the carpentry in a little mess. 'Luke…what…what's going on here, everything okay?'

'Um,' he scratched his head and sighed. 'Well, I…I'm looking for my cell phone, I can't find it anywhere.'

'This place is even messier than my room,' May suddenly exclaimed with a big grin on her face which made Luke and Akari burst into laughter.

'I know,' the young carpenter chuckled and petted the child's head. 'I'm sorry for the mess, I'll clean up right away.'

'I'll help you,' May yelled and let go of Akari's hand to pick up the papers which were lying on the floor.

'Thanks, kid,' Luke tenderly smiled.

'Hey, um, is it okay if I leave her here until Barley and me are done with packing the rest of the stuff? Akari asked. 'We'll come over once we're finished, it won't take too long.'

'Yeah, sure thing. But why don't you stay here with May, I can go over to help Barley.'

'No, it's okay, really. It's actually just packing up the groceries and then we'll be done. You can, um…clean up that mess in the meantime,' she smirked.

Luke raised a brow as his mouth started to form a wide grin. 'Alright, fair enough.' 

* * *

'Oh, there you are,' Kelly said when Selena entered the dining area of the Inn. 'I was worried since you've been gone for so long, the weather is already getting pretty nasty out there. Is everything okay?'

'Yes, all good,' the redhead dryly replied.

Kelly bit her lower lip. 'Hey, um, dinner will be ready soon and the overnight guests have gathered already, shall we join them?'

'Oh, um…yeah, I'll just quickly go to the bathroom and freshen up,' Selena said and approached the staircase.

'Oh, by the way,' Kelly suddenly started, 'Luke and Akari seem to be alright, I guess we don't have to worry about them.'

'Why? I, um…what do you mean? Did you meet them today?'

'Yeah, I went to Barley's ranch this afternoon because I wanted to talk to Akari but I saw Luke was with her, I decided I'd rather not disturb them. They seemed to only have eyes for each other,' she coolly lied.

Selena swallowed and slowly laid her hand onto the banister rail. 'I-I see. I…um…I g-go to the bathroom now as I-I said, um…I'll see you in a bit.' And with that she took the stairs at a run.

'See you,' Kelly said, although Selena was out of earshot already, as a smirk spread across her face.

**Thanks for reading!**


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